Disposable end effectors

Abstract

An end effector for a minimally invasive medical device can include a base configured to attach to a distal end of a shaft, and a disposable distal portion configured to removably attach to the base to be disposed of after use.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An end effector for a minimally invasive medical device, comprising:
 a base configured to attach to a distal end of a shaft; and 
 a disposable distal portion configured to removably attach to the base to be disposed of after use, 
 wherein the disposable distal portion includes an electrically conductive material for an electrosurgical procedure, wherein the disposable distal portion is electrically connected to the base when removably attached to the base, 
 wherein the disposable distal portion is or includes blades or jaws including a conductive material to provide electrosurgical energy to tissue, 
 wherein the disposable distal portion includes:
 a mount portion configured to abut the base; and 
 a clevis connected to the mount portion, wherein the blades or jaws are mounted to the clevis to pivot about a pivot joint of the clevis, 
 
 wherein the base is configured to removably mechanically engage the blades or jaws to actuate the blades or jaws, 
 wherein the base includes a drive structure configured to mechanically engage the blades or jaws to actuate the blades or jaws between an open and a closed position, 
 wherein the clevis further comprises a non-conductive material, and the mount portion further comprises a non-conductive center post configured to mechanically connect the blades or jaws to the drive structure to actuate the blades or jaws between the open and the closed position, 
 wherein the disposable distal portion and the base are configured to be selectively axially retained together by a locking sleeve, wherein the locking sleeve is configured to selectively lock the disposable distal portion to the base, and 
 wherein the base includes one or more locking channels, wherein the disposable distal portion includes one or more alignment channels defined through a lip, wherein the locking sleeve includes a plurality of lock protrusions on an inner surface thereof, one or more proximal lock protrusions are configured to be axially advanced through the alignment channels beyond the lip and rotated into a respective locking channel, wherein one or more distal inner stop protrusions are configured to axially engage the lip to limit axial advancement of the sleeve and to retain the disposable distal portion to the base when the sleeve is rotated into a locked position such that the one or more proximal lock protrusions are within the one or more locking channels. 
 
     
     
       2. The end effector of  claim 1 , wherein the base includes a base clevis and an actuation assembly connected to the base clevis and the drive structure to actuate the drive structure relative to the base clevis. 
     
     
       3. The end effector of  claim 2 , wherein the actuation assembly includes:
 an actuator housing connected to the drive structure; and 
 a pulley assembly within the actuator housing and configured to move the actuator housing relative to the base clevis. 
 
     
     
       4. The end effector of  claim 3 , wherein the pulley assembly includes a pulley and an anchor, wherein the pulley is pinned to the base clevis via a pulley pin, wherein the pulley pin is disposed within an axial slot of the actuator housing to allow the actuator housing to axially slide relative to the pulley, wherein the anchor is configured to move relative to the pulley between an open position of the blades or jaws and a closed position of the blades or jaws. 
     
     
       5. The end effector of  claim 4 , wherein the anchor is slidably connected via an anchor pin to the actuator housing at a radial slot to translate relative to the actuator housing in a radial direction orthogonal to the axial direction. 
     
     
       6. The end effector of  claim 5 , wherein the base clevis includes a diagonal slot configured to guide the anchor pin within the radial slot as the actuator housing moves axially relative to the base clevis. 
     
     
       7. The end effector of  claim 6 , wherein the anchor is configured to retain a first end of a first wire that is wrapped around the pulley, wherein the anchor is configured to retain a second end of a second wire such that pulling actuation on the first wire brings the anchor closer to the pulley thereby distally actuating the actuator housing, and pulling actuation on the second wire separates the pulley and the anchor thereby proximally actuating the actuator housing. 
     
     
       8. The end effector of  claim 7 , wherein the base clevis is configured to abut the mount portion and to orient the mount portion rotationally relative to the base. 
     
     
       9. The end effector of  claim 8 , wherein the mount portion, the base clevis and the actuator housing comprises a non-conductive material respectively, and wherein the drive structure comprises a conductive material and configured to electrically connect to an electrical wire. 
     
     
       10. A minimally-invasive medical device, comprising:
 an adapter configured to connect to and be actuated by a robotic surgical system; 
 an elongate member extending from the adapter, the elongate member configured to be positioned as a function of the actuation of the adapter; and 
 an end effector connected to the elongate member, the end effector comprising:
 a base configured to attach to a distal end of a shaft; and 
 a disposable distal portion configured to removably attach to the base to be disposed of after use, 
 
 wherein the disposable distal portion includes an electrically conductive material for an electrosurgical procedure, wherein the disposable distal portion is electrically connected to the base when removably attached to the base, 
 wherein the disposable distal portion is or includes blades or jaws including a conductive material to provide electrosurgical energy to tissue, 
 wherein the disposable distal portion includes:
 a mount portion configured to abut the base; and 
 a clevis connected to the mount portion, wherein the blades or jaws are mounted to the clevis to pivot about a pivot joint of the clevis, 
 
 wherein the base is configured to removably mechanically engage the blades or jaws to actuate the blades or jaws, 
 wherein the base includes a drive structure configured to mechanically engage the blades or jaws to actuate the blades or jaws between an open and a closed position, 
 wherein the clevis further comprises a non-conductive material, and the mount portion further comprises a non-conductive center post configured to mechanically connect the blades or jaws to the drive structure to actuate the blades or jaws between the open and the closed position, 
 wherein the disposable distal portion and the base are configured to be selectively axially retained together by a locking sleeve, wherein the locking sleeve is configured to selectively lock the disposable distal portion to the base, and 
 wherein the base includes one or more locking channels, wherein the disposable distal portion includes one or more alignment channels defined through a lip, wherein the locking sleeve includes a plurality of lock protrusions on an inner surface thereof, one or more proximal lock protrusions are configured to be axially advanced through the alignment channels beyond the lip and rotated into a respective locking channel, wherein one or more distal inner stop protrusions are configured to axially engage the lip to limit axial advancement of the sleeve and to retain the disposable distal portion to the base when the sleeve is rotated into a locked position such that the one or more proximal lock protrusions are within the one or more locking channels. 
 
     
     
       11. The medical device of  claim 10 , wherein the base includes a base clevis and an actuation assembly connected to the base clevis and the drive structure to actuate the drive structure relative to the base clevis. 
     
     
       12. The medical device of  claim 11 , wherein the actuation assembly includes:
 an actuator housing connected to the drive structure; and 
 a pulley assembly within the actuator housing and configured to move the actuator housing relative to the base clevis. 
 
     
     
       13. The medical device of  claim 12 , wherein the pulley assembly includes a pulley and an anchor, wherein the pulley is pinned to the base clevis via a pulley pin, wherein the pulley pin is disposed within an axial slot of the actuator housing to allow the actuator housing to axially slide relative to the pulley, wherein the anchor is configured to move relative to the pulley between an open position of the blades or jaws and a closed position of the blades or jaws. 
     
     
       14. The medical device of  claim 13 , wherein the anchor is slidably connected via an anchor pin to the actuator housing at a radial slot to translate relative to the actuator housing in a radial direction orthogonal to the axial direction. 
     
     
       15. The medical device of  claim 14 , wherein the base clevis includes a diagonal slot configured to guide the anchor pin within the radial slot as the actuator housing moves axially relative to the base clevis. 
     
     
       16. The medical device of  claim 15 , wherein the anchor is configured to retain a first end of a first wire that is wrapped around the pulley, wherein the anchor is configured to retain a second end of a second wire such that pulling actuation on the first wire brings the anchor closer to the pulley thereby distally actuating the actuator housing, and pulling actuation on the second wire separates the pulley and the anchor thereby proximally actuating the actuator housing. 
     
     
       17. The medical device of  claim 16 , wherein the base clevis is configured to abut the mount portion and to orient the mount portion rotationally relative to the base. 
     
     
       18. The medical device of  claim 17 , wherein the mount portion, the base clevis and the actuator housing comprises a non-conductive material respectively, and wherein the drive structure comprises a conductive material and configured to electrically connect to an electrical wire.